System for segregating a monitor program in a farm system

Abstract

A method for processing requests to service computational tasks. An application server system receives requests to run various jobs. A job indicates that a certain application program is to be executed with a certain set of input. The application server system includes a master computer and multiple slave computers. The master computer receives requests to run jobs, selects a slave computer to run each job, and then assigns each job to slave computer selected for that job. The master computer of the application server system receives the requests from client computers that may be connected to the application server system via the Internet. A client-side component of the application server system may execute on the client computers to assist users in submitting their requests.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A computer system for monitoring the running of jobs, each job having an associated application program, comprising: 
 a component for each job that starts execution of an instance of a plot component in a process, the plot component for monitoring the execution of the associated application program; and    a component of the plot component that starts execution of an instance of the associated application program in another process; and monitors the execution of the executing application program whereby every executing plot component and every executing application program has its own process.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein a field component for an application program starts the execution of the instances of the plot component for that application program and wherein the field component monitors the execution of the plot component.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the component that starts the execution of the instance of the plot component is a field component.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the field component for an application program limits the number of instances of the application program that can be executing at the same time.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3  wherein a farm module starts the execution of the field component for an application program.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the farm module receives requests to execute jobs.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the requests are received from a master farmer system.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the field component collects pre-execution statistics for execution of the instance of the application program.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the field component collects post-execution statistics for execution of the instance of the application program.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the instance of the plot component detects when the instance of the application program that it is monitoring is no longer executing.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the instance of the application program notifies the plot component that it is terminating.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the instance of the plot component detects when the instance of the application program that it is monitoring is not functioning as expected based on analysis of an output file of the instance of the application program.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the analysis indicates that the output file is not being modified.  
     
     
         14 . A computer system for monitoring the running of jobs, each job for executing an instance of an application program, the system comprising: 
 a plot component that starts the instance of the application program and monitors the execution of the instance of the application program;    a field component that starts an instance of the plot component for each instance of an application program; and    a component that starts execution of a field component associated with the application program.    
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein during monitoring, the plot component detects when the instance of the application program is not functioning properly.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the application program is not functioning properly when an output file of the instance of the application program is not being modified.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14  wherein during monitoring, the plot component detects when the instance of the application program has terminated.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14  wherein an instance of the plot component and the instance of the application program that it is monitoring execute in the same process.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14  wherein an instance of the plot component and the instance of the application program that it is monitoring execute in different processes.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the field component for an application program limits the number of instances of the application program that can be executing at the same time.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the component that starts the execution of the field component for an application program is a farm module.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21  wherein the farm module receives requests to executes jobs.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22  wherein the requests are received from a master farmer system.  
     
     
         24 . A system for monitoring the running of jobs, each job for executing an instance of an application program, comprising: 
 means for starting an instance of a plot component to monitor execution of a job;    means for starting an instance of the application program for the job; and    means for, under control of the executing instance of the plot component, monitoring execution of the started instance of the application program.    
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24  wherein the monitoring includes means for detecting when the instance of the application program is not functioning properly.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25  wherein the detecting includes determining that an output file of the instance of the application program is not being modified.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 24  wherein the means for monitoring includes means for detecting when the instance of the application program has terminated.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 24  wherein an instance of the plot component and the instance of the application program that it is monitoring execute in the same process.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 24  wherein an instance of the plot component and the instance of the application program that it is monitoring execute in different processes.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 24  including means for limiting the number of instances of the application program that can be executing at the same time.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 24  wherein a farm module starts execution of a field component for an application program.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31  wherein the farm module receives requests to executes jobs.  
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32  wherein the requests are received from a master farmer system.  
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 24  wherein the instance of the plot component starts the instance of the application program.